Anime Vice News

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST #3 - - Watch & Learn

Put on your gloves from some big-headed chatter...

It’s been a few weeks since we shot that one Vice Pit about mopey anime
heroes, so I honestly can’t remember if we brought FMA up during the discussion. We always end up having more to say than we
have time for, so maybe this particular post will be more like an addendum to
that video because the death of the Elric Bros’ mother is (yet another)
interesting counterpoint to the murder of Luna in CASSHERN SINS.

Anyway, Sam sees a positive alternative here to sullen, depressed anime
heroes - - how Ed and Al’s loss hangs over them throughout the course of this
saga without ever bogging them down. Myself, I see an intriguing parallel in
how both series essentially start with the main characters violating some major
taboo of their worlds’ natural orders, and in how each series is then driven by
their respective condemnations to correct their transgressions.

We got a little high falootin’ in that video
- - likening these plot commonalities to the openings of OEDIPUS REX, MACBETH
and other classics of literature - - but I think there’s some basic wisdom
to what we’re groping at.

FMA is a worldwide phenom, of course, and I’m convinced that SACRED
STARS OF MILOS isn’t going to be the last iteration of it. If you group it with
other big, globally-successful superhero franchises (which is what FMA is, when
you boil it down), it really becomes clear that their common ingredient aren’t
just tragedies in the heroes’ origins, but tragedies that the heroes are at
least partially responsible for.

Spider-Man becomes a vigilante because he lets
a burglar get away and kill his father, Iron Man starts off as an arrogant ass
who’s wounded by the very weapons he recklessly sold to terrorists, et cetera. The
quest for redemption - - even a mild one - - is perhaps intrinsically more compelling
than the seeking of revenge or the simple pursuit of justice.

That's where my mind drifts to while I'm watching a different riff on material I've already seen. Haha...

Watch this episode, "Mother…" here and decide for yourself, then read my comments
on the previous episode here.

Tom Pinchuk’s a writer and personality with a large number
of comics, videos and features like this to his credit. Visit his website - -tompinchuk.com- - and follow his Twitter:@tompinchuk